They Re-Posted the Job. Should I Kiss It Good-Bye?

In many cases the answer is a resounding “yes”. If they re-post the job, odds are it’s time to kiss it good-bye!

But there are also exceptions to the rule, which I’ll discuss later on. Unfortunately, the letter I got from a reader asking me that very question probably isn’t one of them. Here’s her story…

Hello Ronnie Ann!

I’m actually crying right at this very moment only because I can’t seem to understand why people who do job interviews can be so calloused.

Company X called me twice for two phone interviews. Things seem to have gone well as they invited me to visit them out of state. After a series of interview with several individuals, I left and was told that they’ll “let me know if there’s any further interest” which were the exact words. Few minutes after I got to my hotel, I did get a call and was asked to return and I did. I met with more people.

Everything seemed very positive. I was confident and had positive energy. The job closely parallels what I have on my resume at about 95%. I sent individual thank you notes to each and every individual who interviewed me.

Out of the 10 people that interviewed me, 2 people mentioned negative things about the future boss for the job. However, it wasn’t something I engaged myself in. When I met with the “future boss”, although I felt good about the interview and answered all of his questions, I didn’t feel as connected with him as I did with the others but I remained positive.

One week passed, silence…. yesterday was 2 weeks of silence so I sent my short follow-up email to the Director of HR that basically reiterates that I’m still very interested and inquiring if I’m still in the running and where they’re at in their hiring process. Given that Monday is typically a very busy day for most people, I thought perhaps they need a couple days.

Fast forward…. this morning I got online and I found that same job re-posted by a recruiting firm. Is it safe to say that I’m out and should be moving on? I was really hoping that they at least reply back even if I lost the job so I can send them a thank you letter for considering me for the job and make way for professional connection.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,
J

PS: Just simply typing this out gave me some relief…. I’m glad I
found your site! Thank you.

Hi J!

I’m so sorry you’re going through all this. Glad telling the story helped. It’s a good idea not to hold in all that interview waiting game frustration! Sounds like you did the right things and even understand if this job doesn’t come through, there’s still an opportunity to keep in touch with the company for future openings. Smart.

Unfortunately, there is no 100% sure way to interpret the re-posting. A job re-posting can sometimes simply be contractual (meaning the company paid ahead of time for a certain number of listings) or, as is more often the case, it can indeed be a sign of something less positive. In your case, the fact that it was posted by the recruiter may very well point toward the less positive outcome.

Then again, recruiters sometimes re-post an ad just to be safe, maybe having heard some doubts but not knowing for sure whether or not you’ll get the job. Or the company may simply be keeping its options open to see what new resumes come in. Companies do that sometimes, while keeping the best candidates on hold – and in the dark. So J…you could still be in the running – but there’s also a good chance they decided to pass.

So what should you do?

Keep Looking for a Job Even While Waiting to Hear Back

No matter what the correct interpretation of the re-posted job may be, don’t stop looking! One of the most important things you can do during an interview process is to keep the momentum going. Not only does it help keep the fear monkeys away, but you may wind up getting a better job as a result.

If you do get the job (and it’s still possible), I wish you all the best. But if you don’t…it may not be such a bad thing after all. Messages like people talking negatively about your potential future boss in an actual interview and the lack of connection in your interview with him/her can mean a LOT. Again, I hope you do get it and it turns out to be great. But if not, you may have lucked out!

I wish you whichever outcome is best for you, J. And please don’t cry. If this job isn’t the one, it could be because the right one is on its way – even if it takes a while to find you. On that thought, you may find this May 11, 2009 comment from Joe comforting:

How would you feel if you saw the job you want posted again? Have you ever seen a job posted again and still gotten it? Did you ever lose out on a job and then get a great one anyway?

News Flash! I just got an update from J. Well…she didn’t get the job. But she tells me she feels ok and is ready to get back out there and find the right job for her. Meanwhile she made sure to let the company know she appreciated the chance to interview and is still interested should anything else come up. Perfect.

Interesting twist…turns out they fired the HR Director and that was one of the reasons she was kept hanging for so long. Add that to the endless list of reasons in the oh-so-frustrating waiting game! 😉

Ronnie Ann, founder of Work Coach Cafe, bases her real-world advice on her many years as an organizational consultant where she helped interview and hire people, added to a certificate from NYU in Career Planning & Development and her own adventures as a serial job seeker. She can also be found on her new blog, Career Nook and on Google+.

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I feel bad for J in the short term, but honestly, this doesn’t sound like the ideal work environment anyway. She will land somewhere good, I’m sure. And I love the term fear monkeys—a perfect description of that feeling/condition.

I came across this post while trying to find out about whether to reapply for a job that has been reposted. I was never called back or followed up with after submitting my resume. I am unsure if reapplying with a modified resume will make a difference or if they will consider the new resume. Any insight would be appreciated!

Honestly, it is getting more and more difficult to tell just who is posting the jobs these days… directly for direct hire from the company’s HR itself or via some placement agency. And the way something is constantly reposted like someone hitting a refresh button, it’s puzzling. I also get a suspicious feeling that some job postings have become a “routine” rather than a genuine attempt to recruit a qualified employee.

Of course I have no way of knowing for sure why they’re reposting, but I can give you some reasons from my experience on the interviewer side.

Sometimes we reposted even if we had some good candidates because there was no match we all felt sure about or the candidates, while good, didn’t have one or two of the skills we really wanted, or simply we needed to have enough candidates to show HR that we were diligent in our search. Believe me, at the cost of ads and the time it takes to go through the process, if they repost, there is a good reason. It just may not feel that way to anyone who already sent in a resume and/or is waiting to hear back. Oh…and every now and then we reposted simply because we had a contract to run the ad x number of times. 😉

Jenn…there is probably no value in resubmitting the same resume (other than to remind them why they didn’t want you assuming human eyes even reviewed it). BUT, if there is a way to redo your resume to make sure you mention words from the ad and clearly emphasize those things they’re looking for on your resume (and maybe de-emphasize some things that might work against you) by all means, resubmit with a great cover letter.

Also, your resume may have gotten kicked out by a system and never even seen. So if you can find the name of someone in the company (best in that department) to send it to, please give that a shot. And if you know anyone who knows anyone in that company, by all means get a name and speak to a live person. A polite conversation can often help.

Other than that…the best advice is to keep looking. And make sure your resume and cover letter target the posting specifically each time as best you can.

Thanks so much Ronnie Ann! I really appreciate your advice and I will be resubmitting it this week. I managed to get in touch with someone that passed on the job information to me in the first place and she in turn gave me a name of someone else that works there and that is keeping the post alive. I asked a few questions about the position so I will be incorporating information from her responses into a new cover letter. I will also be calling HR this week to see if they can provide me any insight too. I will keep you posted and thanks again!

Here’s how I found out that I didn’t get the job I interviewed for less than 2 weeks ago. Went to check my application status on the company’s website and found this: “Application Status: Closed.” I thought ok, maybe this means that the interviewers will start to deliberate because the listing was posted all through the interview process. But after a few days of no information I couldn’t take it anymore and emailed the HR recruiter I had been dealing with also after seeing that the listing disappeared for a day and then was re-posted but with slight modifications made to the qualifications. I just asked her to clarify what “closed” means. She clearly didn’t remember me because this was her response: “We did fill the position, but there are others, thanks!” That ‘thanks!’ at the end really stung. So I emailed back inquiring as to why I have yet to receive official information that I didn’t get the job…but no response, no official communication at all. Best of all, on my online application status it says that I have applied to the re-listed position…I definitely didn’t. So I don’t know what to think other than I know I didn’t get the job and since the interview this has been a total joke. I was pretty upset but I’m over it now, relived actually, I since applied for 2 jobs and still looking.

Thanks for letting us know what happened Mallory. So sorry!! I might not have sent that last e-mail (you never know when you meet folks again elsewhere), but I certainly understand why you felt moved to do it and at least now they know! 😉

Glad you are on to BETTER things now. Some places are not the right match anyway and fate or whatever often helps keep us from the misery of working there. Or so I like to look at at.

At least now you know waiting is most definitely part of the process… and have some excellent experience 😉 coping with the “not knowing”. Good luck!

Oh boy, I was definitely was a little too hasty with my post Ronnie Ann. However I do feel I made the right move sending that last email because I wasn’t just an applicant, I made it through the various stages of the process and went to talk to these people in person for an hour and a half. I received a rejection message for another job with them that I didn’t even make it to step 2, so I knew something was going on, I just didn’t know what it was and felt I was entitled to a little information. But anyway, instead of just emailing me back the recruiter called me to explain, which in it of itself was appreciated. She told me that I have been attached in their system to the other job opening for the same position, I knew there were 2 spots for the position but I thought they had the one already and I was interviewing for the 2nd. But they’ve been re-evaluating and will have another round of interviews, but since I’ve been attached to this other opening that means I’m still in the running, I guess if they don’t find anyone they like better than me, maybe I’ll get an offer. And, she said by the end of next week I should hear something about it, so at least I have a time frame, which is all it takes for me to live in peace. But better still, she told me that the interviewers thought I would be a great match for a different position, which I didn’t really notice or consider. She said “if I’m interested” in it I should officially apply online..I said of course, I’m just interested in working with you guys, she reacted positively to that. So I might not have gotten that call if I didn’t send that email, I would never be rude or unprofessional, and also I think she realized her mistake, so a simple phone call and a little information made things much better. The other thing is, is that if you’re going to have applicants’ statuses on your website and make changes with no explanation you have to realize that we’re going to be checking this and not know what to think. Plus, my status in regards to the original position in not in “closed” anymore, it’s back to “in process” so maybe both openings are being rethought. So if I didn’t initiate, I’d be going insane…still. But now, I’m more hopeful because I understand what’s going on and clearly I have a shot at not just one job, but 2 or maybe 3. I’m going to be cautiously optimistic, not emotionally invested this time, but it’s definitely amazing how things turn around.

This is a GREAT example of how I learn from my readers every day. Clearly, you stayed polite in your inquiry and left the door open; I misunderstood and thought you let them have it with both barrels. 😉 Sorry for jumping to conclusions. Ah…the difficulties of good written communication.

Thanks for sharing this with all of us. What a terrific example of why good follow-through can make a real difference. Looks like you have a few irons in the fire – and most of all, you know the company likes you. Good for now and later on down the line.

FYI: I’ve interviewed people whom we liked and wound up hiring them for other openings – or even ones we decided to create for them. It’s something all job seekers should remember when one position doesn’t seem to be working out.

The other takeaway, I guess, is don’t take what you find on the internet or even their internal systems as the only truth. (I’ve seen quite a few cases of sloppy automated info when it comes to hiring.) Make sure you stay in touch (w/o stalking) so you can get it first hand. Really good job all around Mallory.

I wish you MUCH luck. Looks like you’re doing great with them. Go git ’em, grrrl!

Thanks so much again Ronnie Ann…didn’t think you misunderstood. Trust me at that moment I would have loved to let someone have it with both barrels, but it’s not in my nature to actually do it, unless I’ve been really offended. I actually like chronicling this process here and on my blog, I think I’ll be able to look back on this one day and still be really angry…oh I mean laugh 🙂

Well…I didn’t get the job I originally interviewed for, but…I do have another interview tomorrow for this other position that the interviewers recommended me for. I’m not sure what we’re going to talk about…again, but ok whatever. I’m not too bummed out about the first one, it was obvious to me that they’re looking for experience that I just don’t have and it’s kind of ok because I don’t really want to get into sales and spending the day on the phone. It’s not sales in the traditional sense, in nature it’s helping college students decide to study abroad with this organization, which is something that I’m passionate about…but they use “sales” in business terms because money is of course a big part of it all. I would have taken it gladly but this other position is in a different department that I would actually be more interested in developing with. My job would be literally to support the Site Specialist team to know every detail about every study program that the organization has to offer in order to assist the students and their parents through the process from physically going abroad to the time they come home, my interviewers from this department actually said I’d be great for this. So if all goes well tomorrow Ronnie Ann, I’ll be an Associate Site Specialist with a study abroad organization.

I had a similar experience to J. However I received a verbal offer. The hiring manager told me I’d be working for him and emphasized this several times. He ask me to go through one more round of interviews. This was after he told me I’d already hit it out of the ballpark with everyone (14 people total). He had received poor information early on during the process. But we kept going. He’d even spoken with my references which he said were stellar.

He told me to wait for the hiring manager to return to complete the interview process. So I waited then I sent him an e-mail a week after the hiring manager returned. She responded asking for my availability. The next day she phoned and asked me if I’d had a conversation with the hiring manager. I told her yes he told me he wanted me to interview with three more people. She then told me that he wanted to open up the process to more people and that at this time they were to going to continue.

I don’t get what changed. We’d already discussed the bad reference (not someone I provided, the hiring manager decided to call more than my references). He even gave me advice as to what i should have done at my old job. Why tell me I will work for him then change?

Wow. I’m so sorry you had to go through this – especially with so much encouragement. I can only imagine how disappointed and confused you must feel – and I would guess at least a little angry.

No way for me to know what happened, other than someone in the process decided to either give the bad reference more credibility (these things can really leave a bad taste) or that the fit just wasn’t what they need after all. I could guess, but that’s of no help to you. 😉

Have you asked directly (and of course pleasantly) what changed? Say you need this to help you in your next interview and ask for any advice. But also maybe suggest you’d be happy to work for them on a contract basis so you can show them how much of an asset you would be. It might be worth a shot.

Please let us know what happens. I think at the very least, someone may be willing to clue you in.

I came across this blog because I am in the similar situation. Mines is different through because in July or first week of August I went to the interview and 2 weeks later I got a mail saying I wasn’t the person they are hiring and they hired someone else. Yesterday (October so 3 months later) I found the exact same job position at their website. This is a hospital and this position is Decision Support Analyst so it isn’t like nurses or doctors where you can have more than one person. I applied last night just wondering why would they re-post.

I hope all is well. I don’t know if you’re still on a blogging break but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask my question…

About 3 weeks ago I applied for a development position at a non profit organization. HR contacted me and told me that based on my resume they would like to interview me for a couple of other positions that were also available. I was interviewed and tested and invited back for another interview for one position in a particular department. The second interview was with the department head and I suppose all went well. The DH told me that she would have HR check my references and invited me back for another interview. For the final interview she wanted to have her colleague along to get the colleagues’ opinion. The final interview went OK, at least I thought it did. The DH told me that it would all come down to my references and she would let me know.

HR called me to ask for contact information for one job listed on my resume. While I have great memories of that particular job experience it didn’t end on the best note so I had not kept in contact with my old boss. I had no contact information to give but HR assured me that the 3 I provided would be sufficient. I sent out emails to all my references to let them know they might be contacted. A week later it appears only one of my references was contacted and I noticed that they re-posted the job online. Should I assume another one has bit the dust? If so, what do I do now?

Hi Ronnie Ann,
Came across this website because I am in a similar situation and I am furious! Had 2 phone and one in person interview- all went well. Traveled 2 hours to do the in person interview. 2 weeks passed, followed up with the recruiter I was dealing with. No response. Today I saw the position reposted! I am so angry. And the position I interviewed for was a human resources role! Talk about unprofessional! No decency to even acknowledge my email !

I never cease to be amazed by the lack of consideration. I know enough to know there are many reasons this might happen not all of them bad for the job seeker, but seriously…just let people know where they stand!

Since a reposting does not always mean you are out, worth calling to at least see if you are still in the running. There may indeed be internal reasons for the silence.

Whatever the result, I hope the new year brings you a great new job. I’m sure you’ll bring your experience with you to HR and that’s a good thing for the people you’ll wind up helping one day. Good luck, Mya!

Hi,
I applied for a job and 4 days after the closing date I called them to ask about my app. She told me that I was the only one that applied and that they needed to repost it. This time it is only for a week ane and last time it was for like 3 weeks. She told me to send in a resume and I did so now I will wait after the closing date and call.
So what does this sound to you.
Thanks,
Vanessa

There’s no way for me to know for sure, of course. But if it helps, a company likes to get enough resumes so that it has a choice of qualified people to call in for interviews. And, just to explain a little more, if their ad isn’t working, they may even decide to use an agency.

Just an idea…maybe next time you call, if they still don’t say anything about an interview, ask very politely if there are any questions now you can answer for them to help them decide to call you in for an interview. (Only if that feels right for you, of course. 😉 )

I feel for you. I was unemployed for about 2 years. I interviewed with several companies in the end of 2010. I went in for 3rd and 4th interviews, then I saw that they re-posted the job listing.

I was dissapointed and angry. I spoke to a close friend and he said if they re-posted the job, they are not looking.

Now, when you post a job you get more than 200 applicants. Out of the 200 hundred applicants, they were unable to find someone?

A recruiter called me and wanted me to come in for an interview. I flat out asked her “how soon are they looking to fill the position.” She replied saying “they have interviewed several candidates they like, but they want “personality.” When she told me that I said “the fact that they are looking for personality shows that they are not hiring the right person for the job.” I told her “No Thanks.”

Please do not loose hope. I hope you have found a job. Even if it does not pay well, it gives your mind something to do. While you are working, still apply for other jobs.

And by the way…I understand your point, but just know personality can be interpreted many ways. It is an important part of many jobs because of relationship building and team skills. But in most cases that doesn’t mean you have to have pizazz and sizzle. Sometimes it just means you’re a nice person they’d like to work with on a daily basis.

I applied for a position in an insurance company that advertised last May. I was called sometime in September 2010 to interview. I was told that they had delayed conducting the interviews because other things had come up.

I felt the interview went well but I may have hurt my chances on discussions about salary. I told the interviewer that I was looking for an amount nearly $20,000 more than what I was told during the interview. My mistake (due to my interview inexperience and not consulting websites such as these) was to not wait until receiving an offer.

Anyway, I called the interviewer as a follow-up some time in November 2010 and again recently as in June 2011 because the company would usual let the public know when a particular position has been filled on its website. As far as I knew the position has not been filled.

I confirmed just this past week that the position has not been filled, as a friend of mine called someone they knew at the company who informed that the company had put off filling that position (which is a new position being created) until December 2011 when the person who performs those functions though in a different position retires in December.

However, I learned that if I wasn’t selected for the second round of interviews with the companies President when they were being conducted in September 2010 then it is likely that I wasn’t being considered.

I did not make the second round of interviews.

My friend asked the person to speak to the HR Manager on my behalf and gave me a solid recommendation and requested that the company looks at my resume again because I may be the person they are looking for.

I really really want this job because it is with a reputable company with a good reputation and is very stable.

What do you think I should do to be reconsidered? I’m figuring that since it would have been a year since the second round of interviews most of those persons short listed may have found other jobs and would not longer be contenders? Also I am able to negotiate salary and accept an amount within the salary range. I know I would be a good fit for the company.

I think it’s great that your friend was able to get you an internal recommendation directly to the HR Manager. At this point, I would sent that same HR Manager a very short snail mail letter (no typos) expressing your strong interest and asking that you be given another chance to show what an asset you can be for the company. That means talk about their needs and not your wants. 😉

This happened to me today. I interviewed for a job a few weeks back and I thought everything went great. In the first interview, the woman I met with told me I’d be a great fit for either of the two senior copywriter positions available. Then she gave me a tour of the building and had me meet with HR to reschedule my follow-up, which was 3 days later. From there, I met with 4 more people with the company and then later that day they sent me an edit test to complete in one weeks time.

I completed and turned it in that Tuesday night and waited a week until I followed up on the status of it. When I did, they told me they were still in in the interviewing process but in the meantime would like me to freelance for them as a copywriter for another website under the company. Does this sound like I’m completely out of the running for the other positions? I’m so confused b/c I thought everything went so well…

I see a lot of good news here. First…they only advertised for ONE position even though they have two openings.

And asking you to freelance for a while may not be as good as a job offer, but it shows me you did indeed impress them. Maybe they’re trying you out and maybe they simply need help asap. Either way, I’d see it as an opportunity and say yes; then give it your best…and start to build workplace relationships so you get seen as someone who could fit in easily.

But also let them know you really hope they are still considering you for a full-time job. Some companies like to try before they buy. And if you think about it, you get to do that too.

Meanwhile…if they are not giving you strong indications that you have a good chance at one of the full-time jobs, keep looking so you don’t take yourself out of the job market. But I’m hoping this has a happy ending.

… Last week I had 2 telephone interviews and one face to face interview with a large company. They pushed me through the process rapidly as I started a new role on monday. Its now Thursday and I haven’t heard back from them despite chasing a decision. The energy was extremely postive and there comments were alluding to a success. Today they have reposted the job with a closing date in 4 weeks! I am now at my new job which I hate, and have a feeling a great despair – quite frankly I feel like crying. I am confused as to why they would repost without contacting me first. I had conversations with them every day last week and now nothing- and if the re-posting is anything to go by they are looking again for a whole month. I’ve broken my back they past 5 months to secure a job, previously loosing a job I loved. I now have a new job, which I hate and feel like I’ve made a mistake and have to start the whole recruitment process- yet again. I have a great CV, skills set and interview well ( I think). My career is so important to me- Its where all my energy has gone for the last 10 years. 🙁 . Advice appreciated- shall I just forget about the interviews I had last week?

Although I know how hard it is to keep things open and still move on, that is exactly what a successful job search is all about. Re-posting can have so many meanings and there’s no way for you to know for sure how close to the top you are. It can even mean they simply didn’t get enough applicants yet to make a decision. I’ve worked places where we had a candidate we liked, but HR rules said we had to keep looking. And HR rules also told us not to contact applicants in between. It sucks, but please know it is very common.

I’m sorry your job search has gone on for so long, but I get comments all the time for people who wanted to tear their hair out from the frustration of search, and then the job offer comes along. All you can do is keep looking with full determination.

This is a great time to channel the frustration into action. Look at websites of companies you’d like to work for. See if you know anyone there (LinkedIn is a good resource and so is the company’s Board member list if they have one). Contact or recontact everyone you can think of (former employers, former co-workers, school career centers, members of organizations you belong to). And tell folks you know or meet about your search with fresh excitement – that really is the key to getting people invested in your search. Look for folks to ask for informationals. Also a good time to volunteer for something constructive to do but also for fresh stories about things you’ve been doing to share during interviews, and for new contacts.

Although I know job search wears the best of us down, keep looking and close no doors until you get the offer. Good luck!

Thanks Ronnie. I am infact feeling much better as I have just had a call from the company that had reposted the job informing me that I am still in the running for the role, its just that the role is so business critical they need to benchmark me against more candidates. So it is not a” no” and infact I’ve only had positive feedback. I am in a new job (this is day 5), so its not all doom and gloom, its just so important for me to find the right role so I can grow and continue my career path. I’ll update this when I find out next stages.

In the meantime I’m trying to remain positive. Job searches, the interview process is like a rollercoaster- I thought I got off when I started this new job, but it seems I am very much still on it!

Appreciate the update BHM. I can well understand how you must be feeling. But it is not uncommon for HR departments to require an ample interview pool before saying yes. Glad your feedback has been so good, and I hope good news soon ends the ride for a good long while.

I have a pretty unique situation, I had applied for a full time job that requires a pretty extensive background check and unfortunately after I informed the supervisor that I was clear to start working she informed me a week later that the job that I had applied for was being removed but that a new position would come up within three months and that if I wanted I could take a part-time job and that after she saw how I worked she would see if she could move me to the new position. This same supervisor praises my work and likes that I’m adding new things to the program that I am running however, I just saw that she is looking for people to hire for that full time “position” that she would keep me in mind for and has yet to even tell me that I am not being considered for it anymore. I’m confused and don’t really know what to do…should I tell her something?, should I just apply and see what happens? (Resumes will be sent to her, so she will know immediately that I applied) or should I just move on?

I don’t like that you made yourself available to start working, and then they changed the offer on you. Sounds like you didn’t have an offer in writing from them before you started. I would want a written offer from them in the future.

Regarding the new job being posted, it’s not surprising that it is posted. There are often posting requirements that must be met, particularly for jobs which require an “extensive background check,” even if the person eventually hired already works for the employer. Filling the job then is an “internal hire” – most employers’ favorite method of filling jobs.

I would not apply for this job like someone from the outside. It could make you a more “expensive hire” – there’s a possibility that this employer could be charged a commission by the external recruiter, even for recommending someone who is already an employee.

I would approach your boss. She could be waiting for that as a sign of how interested you are in the job. Tell her you saw the posting (print it out and bring a copy with you), and you want to know how to apply for the full-time job because you assume that this is the one she mentioned when she hired you for the part-time job. Let her tell you it’s not – if it isn’t – and why it’s not for you.

Be polite and non-confrontational. Be business-like, not angry or hostile. You just want to know what is happening, and what you should be doing. You can let your confusion show (“Isn’t this the full-time job we spoke about?”), because this is a confusing situation. Ask her what the next steps are – how do you apply internally.

It could just be that she is inept or that she assumed you would know how the process would work. Or, she could be doing something else neither of us can guess about.

But, it pays to ask what is going on and to be up front about what you want and expect. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

I finally remembered to come back and update on my situation. First of all I just wanted to thank you Susan for your advice; I went ahead and asked for a meeting with my supervisor. By the look on her face she knew what I wanted to talk about and sure enough when I mentioned it she told me that the job description had changed and she wanted someone with more experience than I had and that I would not be a good fit. She then praised my work and thought I was doing great job and said that part of her wanted to be selfish and keep me at that part time but said that when a full time position came up I would be considered for it. Don’t really know if this is the situation that I want to be in but will have to wait it out and see what comes along in the near future.

Thanks for the update! Since you have a part-time job and your goal is a full-time job, I would really dig into your job search. Take advantage of the times you aren’t working to do your research, networking, and interviewing.

And, consider this, perhaps your current boss could help you find that next job!

Explain that you really need a full-time job. You are very glad to have the part-time work you do have with her, but it doesn’t pay the bills like a full-time job would. So, you would appreciate her support in your search for a full-time job:

* Ask her if she knows anyone else in this company – or in a different company – who has similar kind of work and might possibly have an opening. IF she gives you names, ask for her help connecting with people in the new organizations, try to set up informational interviews with those employers to find out more about their companies and this field, and look for job postings in those organizations.

* Ask her to be a reference for you. Don’t hand her name and contact information out to the world, but use it in those situations where the potential employer wants references to check. (You may not end up using her as a reference, but it’s good to receive and to have her permission!) Ask for the contact information she would like you to use – name, email address, phone number.

* Ask her for a written reference for you to use in your job search. You want it on this employer’s letterhead and you want it a printed copy you can use in your job search.

* Ask her for a LinkedIn reference. This means that you will both need to have LinkedIn Profile’s already, and that you will be connected. That’s a very, nice visible, and helpful to you in reaching a 100% complete LinkedIn Profile.

This may also “light a fire” under your current boss if she thinks that she might lose you permanently, perhaps shaking loose a full-time job for you. However, don’t expect that it will happen (nice, but definitely not guaranteed!). Right now she has the best of both worlds, you and the potential new employee.

Given that she likes your work and you, I think she should find it very hard to turn down your requests for help since she has made it clear that there won’t be a full-time job for you, there, soon. If she has any kind of human compassion, she will feel an obligation to help you with your job search.

Hello Ronnie Ann,
Just found your website, and I want to say the answers here made me feel better. I had interviewed at two companies several weeks ago and on following up, I believed I was still in the running although it was taking them longer to decide than anticipated. However, now both positions have been reposted and I was dismayed which sent me searching for what that could mean and I found this site. Through conversations with both HR people, I knew they didn’t have very many qualified applicants (which I thought improved my chances). So now I think that is the reason they must have reposted (to get a larger pool of candidates). Whether they pick me or not, I remembered as I was writing this that the jobs I’ve liked the most were the ones where I could tell the interviewer knew right away that I was the right pick. This site helped me not be so discouraged today. **thank you**

Good instincts – in the current job market, employers like to have a big pool of candidates so they can pick the “best” out of a large group, particularly if they feel they have some time to be “thorough” in their search. So, you aren’t necessarily out of the running, but they are doing more “shopping,” a common response these days.

I would get back in touch with each of these employers to let them know that you have seen the re-posting and are still interested, IF you are still interested.

I recently went through the same thing. I had an interview last week which I thought went well. I sent follow-up thank you notes to each individual I interviewed with. The hiring manager then followed up with me to thank me for coming in and said he would make his decision within a couple of weeks. Well today, the dreaded happened, I went back on their site and the job was re-posted. I realized what that meant and just like everyone else on here, don’t understand why they cannot just tell me I wasn’t the right fit instead of leaving me hanging. Very frustrating. Luckily I have a job, just a job I really am not happy in, but obviously this other job just wasn’t meant to be either.

Yes, not a good sign. And, not uncommon, unfortunately. A strange thing has been happening in this tough economy, employers have become pickier. There are so many people to choose from, they want to keep looking until they find the “perfect” candidate, and then they’ll finally make the job offer. Odd and very annoying!

Two other things have an impact, too, I think:
* People on the employer’s side of the transaction don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or be put in the position of trying to answer awkward questions.
* Fear of law suits – someone will take umbridge at what is in the thanks-but-no-thanks letter, and sue the employer. Expensive and bad publicity.

So they feel safer saying nothing. Not helpful, but not uncommon at all.

A better job is waiting for you, and you are now a step closer to finding it! You polished your resume and your interviewing skills on these people so you’ll dazzle the “right” employer who’s wating just around the corner. 🙂

Like many of the above posters, I came across this website because I am in a similar situation. I recently went through an extremely fast-paced interview process with a company—the time they took to make a decision was always less than 24 hours. I was shuttled through three rounds of interviews in just over a week—a phone screen, an in-person one-on-one and lastly a full-day onsite at the company.

The day at the office went great– the way their process works is that after each meeting during the day they decide if they want you to continue meet with more people. If you make it to the end of the day, you meet the CEO (this is a small company). Most people do not make it to this step, and luckily I made it. I thought all six interviews that day went well, including the final one. They told me that I would hear back by the end of next week.

However, I was browsing job boards today (a few days later) and I noticed that they posted the job on a national board just two hours after I left on Thursday. Because I know the company makes decisions extremely quickly, I have a strong feeling I’ve been rejected though I have not yet been notified. Additionally, this is the longest the company has gone without contacting me since the process began. I have a question– can I mention that I saw the job posting when I follow up at the end of this week? Your opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated!

I’m so sorry you’ve suddenly had this glitch thrown into what sounds like a smoothly-moving interview process. Six interviews! And they all went well. First, commend yourself for your stellar performance under such a tight timeline. You should feel quite accomplished.

When you follow up later this week, I don’t think you have anything to lose by asking what the new job posting means. You’re obviously a very good-fit candidate, if they’ve taken you this far. You’ll be showing initiative by asking about it, and showing how interested you still are in the job. You’ve stayed informed of the company’s goings-on. And, asking about the posting may lead into a little more in depth conversation than just asking whether they’ve made a decision. Maybe you’ll find out a little more about the company. So I say “go for it”!

I have experienced something similar but there is an added twist to my situation.

First, the back story.

After a decent phone interview and a grueling five-hour in person interview, the hiring manager informed me via email that the position was filled. I was greatly disappointed. I met and exceeded the list of demanding qualifications. It was a brand-new position that carried a lot of responsibility. However, the job description was vague. During the in-person interview I was told that they had tried to fill the position five months earlier but couldn’t find the right person from the pool of applicants.

Here is the twist: Now, four months since the interviews (six months since I submitted my CV and application), the same job is advertised. “*****This is a reposting for this vacancy. Existing applications remain under consideration ***** ”

I checked my online application for the position, and the status still shows “Position filled.” Looks like I am not being considered any further.

I get that this organization didn’t want to hire me. What frustrates me is being lied to. Also, I am beginning to think they are just fishing and not serous about hiring. Part of my job history includes IT project management and they got some really great advice from me. I gave a really neat presentation that took me over two days to put together. Turns out they got some free consultation.

I might be wrong about this employer’s real intentions, but I feel used.

Yes, I suggest you try again. Here’s what has happened for the job: The position was likely filled, and the candidate who was hired either did not start or did not work out for the job. This happens frequently.

I don’t think it was the employer’s intention to not treat you well. If they simply hadn’t filled the position, they would have said that “your application is no longer under consideration.”

When you open up a search again as an employer, you generally create a new position listing to repost the position listing. One of the reasons employers do this: They don’t assume that candidates who applied in the past will still be interested again. As they assume you may have gotten a job in the interim.

I am telling you this as a former recruiter: don’t take it personally. Simply write the hiring manager you heard from before, let them know that you remain interested in the position, and ask what you need to do to reapply — if anything.

In the interim, continue your job search with other leads — apply for other opportunities as well.

I had an interview on May 7th and I think it went very well. The interviewer said he would call me back after he finished interviewing the other candidates.
After over a week I called him to ask about the status of the position. He said it was still not filled, he was still interviewing, he would give me a call when a decision was made and that I was “still on the list”. I took this as a positive sign and was awaiting his call.

Yesterday I noticed that the position was re-posted under a different title even though the description, responsibilities and the department were all the same. Even the job requisition number was the same. The title changed: “Administrative Clerk” instead of “Shipping and Receiving Clerk”.

Should I consider that I am still in the running for this position? Obviously by changing the job title, he will get more candidates but should I even expect a call from him now? Your advice would really be welcome…

I forgot to mention: The interview was on a Monday and on Thursday, I went to an “Employer Spotlight” where the Corporate Recruiter for that company was the speaker. She mentioned the position in the transportation department and that they “had interviewed a few people, but they were nothing to die for…” I was sitting in the audience but she did not know that I was one of the interviewees.
Of course it was disappointing to hear her say that.

After the session was over, I went to speak with her. I told her that I had interviewed with the transportation manager for that position. She was surprised and said she would talk with him and ask him about my resume.

Although it is discriminatory, I am worried that they are looking for younger candidates. By reposting the same position under a different job title, they will get many more candidates. What do you think? Should I hang in there? Should I forget about this job?

Thank you for your suggestions. I am so glad that I found your website!
This morning I spoke with the man that interviewed me. He said that the project was on hold and that he was waiting to hear from HR about new candidates.

I said since the job was re-posted, you probably did not find the candidate you were looking for, but just to let you know, I will work for you on a trial basis so you can assess my skills and he replied, “That’s great to know. I tell you what: by the end of the week I’ll reach out to you.”

Now I am praying that he will do as he says since the position has been open for over a month and they need someone to fill that job soon…

As I mentioned earlier: I am praying that the interviewer will do as he says since the position has been open for over a month, they need someone to fill that job and he said he would “reach out” to me by the end of the week.

Friday has come and gone but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt since Saturday is technically the “end of the week”. Should I give him a call on Monday or shall I stop wasting my time? (I am continuing to search for other jobs, plus I am working with a recruiter.)

I recommend following up on Monday — or, better yet — Tuesday. Don’t forget that people typically have a lot of work other than hiring on their plates in any given week. I once was offered a job three weeks after the “notification date.”

I apply for my dream job and did the phone and in person interviews and felt like things when well,then I see the job reposted. When I check my job status on the company website , it say ” interviewing “.I was wondering if I should send the hiring manager and email as I was told by her during the interview to contact her with any questions. I am very interested in the position .Should I follow up with and email &what should it say?..thanks

Often jobs are reposted for reasons that have nothing to do with you. I recommend contacting them and asking if it is necessary to reapply; you should reiterate your interest in the position at the same time — and also keep applying for other opportunities.

Well, it happened to me again:
After what I thought was a promising interview, I was told that I would be contacted because the interviewer said she didn’t like to leave people hanging and wondering. About 2 weeks later (not hearing from her), I called back to check on the status. I was told by the other staff person in the interview that “the position is still open, but the job is on hold. The interviewer will call you in two months.”

In the meantime, I have been looking for and applying to other jobs. While searching, I noticed a job listed with the same job description and similar contact people for the job. Since the name of the company was not listed, should I apply? This time, though, I won’t be so hopeful because I don’t want to be letdown again; it’s very disappointing.

This is the THIRD time that I found a position re-posted (3 different positions, 3 different companies, 3 letdowns. :-! ).

This likely has NOTHING to do with you and EVERYTHING to do with the company. Most organizations publish positions in multiple places to ensure that they have the largest and most qualified candidates possible.

In the interim, take the company at their word — they can only hire when they have the budget to assure they will be able to pay you. Continue to apply with other companies and keep your chin up. Remember — every position you are applying for is a competitive process, the more applicant pools you are in — the better your chances of getting a job ultimately.

This question is slightly different from the original post. I applied a year ago for a job. I had a great interview, but ended up not getting the job. One year later the job is posted again with a few slight changes to the description. I am going to apply. My question: Should I reference my previous interview in the over letter?

Yes, I’d reapply and send a note to a hiring manager or HR contact (if you got to know them). Let them know what you’ve been up to in the past year, and express your continued interest in working for the organization.

I seen a job open back up again 1 year after I applied, I contacted HR via Email.
in my e-mail I told HR I had applied before, and than I would like to apply again because I felt that that I had misunderstood some of the Interviewers questions, and based my responses on those
misunderstanding, however remember this you can apply again, and HR will likely pass you application forward again to the same group of Interviewers that Interviewed you before.
it’s a gamble, will you get called again?

1 there is no way to know what was on the Interviewer or Interviewers minds or how you were
judged, Yes! judged.
Judged on the way: you look, the way you answered, the way you listened on so fourth, If any one
of these things will stack the odds, that you will not get another Interview.
form personal experience I tell you this, the act of perceiving distinctions is alive and well and
practiced with the skill of a covert military operation.
in closing go ahead and apply, but don’t expect a answer

I applied to a startup a little over a week ago through a startup company information/job site. I received a response from someone within the firm the next day requesting that I set up a meeting with the owner through an online calendar. I responded to that email, asking to confirm if a phone interview would suffice, to which I received no response.

The following day, I requested two meeting times anyway on the calendar and chose the phone meeting option. The founder confirmed one of the times early the next morning. Since it had a note attached that he could be reached at [his number], I emailed him to confirm the date and time and that I was expected to call him. I received no response to this, so I assume I am the one to make the call.

My interview is coming up and I went to the aforementioned startup site to review the posting and found the job has been reposted! Should I be worried at all? It’s quite discouraging to see it resposted before I’ve even had an interview.

No, that’s standard practice and has NOTHING to do with you. Employers typically interview more than one candidate at a time for positions — so they can find the person who is both interested and qualified. Even if employers have an eye on strong candidates, they will still repost a position — they never know if the person who they offer the job to is going to accept.

I applied for a Human resources Assistant job and recieved a phone interview. After the phone interview, I went in to meet with the Human Resources Department face to face. After that first interview they called me back that same day and set up a time for a second interview. The second interview was with the partners of the firm. So I met with like 5 different people total. In each of my interviews, they discussed how they were not pleased with the last persons performance and they were being extra cautious in who they hire next. After meeting with the partners I was told that they were going to develop a test for me to take to ensure my knowledge in HR. I passed the test and then they asked me for my references. I provided them with my references and they stated they would check them the next day. I gave them a couple of days and checked with my references and I was told that no one had called. So I sent a follow up email asking if they needed any additional information. They emailed me back stating that they had not checked my references yet. They stated that they were “extremely interested in me for the position, but they had to work out the process on their end.” She said that the partners wanted more candidates to speak with before making a decision. Later on that day she emailed me back and told me that after meeting with the partners, they decided that they needed to interview more candidates, however they were still interested in me for the role. They said that they understood that i was in a job search and to keep them updated on my status, as they would keep me updated as well. Two days later, i saw the job was re-posted. Should I just give up on this job? Or do you think I still have a chance?

What is the etiquette for reapplying for a job that you have already been offered but then the company rescinded over salary (i.e. I asked for more money, they rescinded the offer)? The job has been reposted less than three weeks later.

Call the company in person and ask to speak to the person you spoke to before. Be polite and let them know of your continued interest in the job. But only do this if you are willing to work for the lower salary they quoted you at before and you are willing to say this. Key tip to remember in salary negotiations — you always need to be nice as you all need to feel that you can work together when it is over…

I’m going through the same thing right now, and it’s frustrating and a bit disheartening.

I applied for a job, and the Human Resources Coordinator called me about 2 weeks after I applied (I checked out her profile on LinkedIn, and basically she’s the one who does all the hiring, posting jobs, etc.). We had a 10 minute phone interview, and she asked if I could come in to meet with her a day and a half later. Short notice, but no problem! Came in for the interview, and I thought it went really well. We went over my resume, my duties at my previous jobs, my education, etc. She proceeded to tell me more about the position, the salary, the benefits, etc. And the job will begin in early 2013. She also told me to visit one of the stores so I can get a ‘feel’ for the branding and such. We pretty much ended the inerview with her telling me that if I have any questions about the job, do not hesistate to call or email her. She was very impressed that I was so prepared and thanked me profusely about coming in on such short notice.

Later that day, I mailed her a handwritten ‘thank you’ card. I didn’t plan to hear anything until after New Years (since she told me to have a wonderful holiday). On their website, you can check the status of your application. Since December 18th, it’s been “Under Review”.

This morning, I check my email and I notice on one of my job search websites, the position I applied for was re-listed the afternoon before (the job posting was taken down on the 17th, so I figure it was closed because they found their pool of applicants they wanted to interview). I went on the company’s website, and lo and behold there’s the job. Re-listed. My heart sunk. When I logged in, and went back to that listing it said that I am currently being considered for that position (anyone who applies gets that message), and when I looked at my job status it never changed. It was still last updated on the 18th and under review. So now, it’s the weekend and I’m not going to hear anything until January 3, 2013 at the earliest.

Now I feel as though I’m in employment limbo. The person who interviewed me is the same one who lists the positions. Being the overanalyzer that I am, I figured I didn’t get the job. But at the same time, when she reposted the job (and it’s the same job, word for word, and same job code that I have), wouldn’t she have called/emailed me and said I was no longer in the running (I feel she would let me know; she struck me to be a very considerate person)? Or maybe they needed more applicants (which would be odd because it’s a MAJOR company, a semi-entry level position, and it was posted on every major job search site and on their own website). I don’t want to nag her, but I think if I don’t hear anything by January 7th or 8th, I’ll follow up via email. Until then, I’m going to continue applying to other places and watch bad reality tv to pass the time:)

It’s SO difficult to know what is going on inside a company. Many things impact hiring decisions, and recent studies have shown that it takes longer to fill a job now than in a good economy. Recruiters I know say that employers are now hiring “100% fits” (perfect match with the job requirements) while in a better economy they were happy hiring “80% fits.”

Hope that this one has worked out for you by now, or you’ve found better opportunities elsewhere.

Is it ever appropriate to discuss a previous job and/or boss which was a very negative environment? (i.e., a “toxic” environment, with complicated company “politics”, lack of trust and a style of management that consisted of leading by “fear and intimidation?” (how open and honest should you be? I usually never say anything negative about a former employer – however, this was the only one in which I was “fired” – (not for misconduct ) – and I cringe when I think about how to convey this part of my otherwise stellar job history! (if this “boss” and/or company has a reputation for hiring (and then firing) each year, how could this be conveyed?) Thank you!

In my experience, if this is the case — the organization often has rapid turnover. If yes, simply state how many people have worked in the role in a short time period — e.g. Over an 18 month period, five people worked in this role. I was the third to take the job, and worked there for _____ months.

I thought I had a great interview. The recruiting manager was very positive, gave me a tour of the company, talked up all the great benefits, and even wanted to set up a meeting for the following week for a face-to-face with the hiring manager. I went home and promptly sent a thank you and then nothing. I gave it a few more days and followed up. I got a good response from the recruiting manager. He said they had a big project come up and this was put on hold but he wanted to still bring me in.
About a week later, I saw the job reposted. I followed up again and was told the hiring manager was looking at other candidates but he’d keep me in mind for other positions.

I think you should move on. Since it seems like you have a good relationship with the recruiting manager, send the recruiting manager a “thank you” for the time and courtesy shown you and reiterate your interest in working there (if you are still interested).

These days it often takes more time than anyone thinks to fill a job because the hiring managers are looking for the “perfect match candidate.” Perhaps the hiring manager wasn’t as impressed as the recruiting manager, or perhaps their requirements changed.

I got called in for a second interview that I was originally rejected for (they said they would keep me in mind). I think everything went great and I was told that they had filled the original position, but then later thought they could use me as well, and that’s why they called me back in. The original posting was taken down months ago. Today I get an email with the job posting. The interview was three days ago and they said they would call me next week. Not sure what to think of this since I interviewed for the job before it was posted the second time.

I just wanted to follow-up and let you know that I was offered the position! The process has been long (it’s been 6 months since my initial contact with my recruiter) but, I think it may be helpful for people to know that even if you were rejected, (like I was) it’s still important to keep a positive attitude– especially with the people who rejected you. You never know when something might open up.

I applied for two jobs within the same company within a week of each other. (I am an athletic trainer, and this company contracts out to different clients (companies)) I heard back immediately about the second position I applied for but not the first. I had an interview that went very well but unfortunatly the company did not get the contract with the client, therefore I did not get the job. The person I interviewed with apologized and told me to keep checking back about any future positions that I may be interested in. Fast forward about a week and I checked back on their career center and I realized that the First position that I applied for has been re-posted. Would it be appropriate to contact the person I had an interview with about the other position, to find out about the status of this position?

Yes, I think it would be fine to go ahead and follow-up with the person you interviewed with — let them know about your interest and also resubmit your application if possible. Often when a job gets reposted they are starting the search all over again. If you work hard to ensure your application is still in the pool, it should increase your chances. If it’s been a while, they may assume that you are not interested.

First, I just want to thank Ronnie Ann 🙂 I searched google for some very vague and long-worded questions (like “Do employers usually tell you if you got the job on a second interview”?) and didn’t expect to get much feedback. Low and behold, I found this site and I was super impressed. I know others out there have questions just like mine, and it was very reassuring to find answers to many of them all right here in one place. I even learned about a couple things I didn’t even think to originally search for just because I didn’t expect to find any feasible answers. This site contains a wealth of useful information and I will be happy to share it with anyone I know with any similar questions.

Secondly, I just wanted to add a little story about the whole re-post issue. I had an interview last week (Tuesday) and I was told they would let me know something by that Friday. I hadn’t heard anything by Friday morning, so I decided to call that afternoon. The person I interviewed with had already left for the day (meaning they wouldn’t be back till the following Monday). I felt discouraged and was pretty sure I didn’t land the job. Fast forward to Monday. I received an e-mail from the person who interviewed me saying I should know by Wednesday. OK. I felt a little better. Not totally out of the race yet. Then, the next day (Tuesday), I’m browsing the same website where I found this same job offer. And what do you know…I see the same add re-posted that I initially responded to a week ago. I was gutted. Thought I didn’t have a chance. Pretty much gave up and moved on. But then, the next day, I get a call from the same company asking me to come in for a second interview. Long story short…I went in for the interview, and I felt pretty confident that it went well after I left. I still don’t know if I got the job yet, but I just wanted to say a re-post might not mean the end of the road for you just yet. I realize things vary from company to company and everyone’s experience will be different-but don’t get down about things just yet. You never know exactly what move your possible future employer might make next.

Thanks for your comment — it is spot on and helpful for people to hear. Often, people re-post positions simply to ensure that the job gets greater visibility in their own systems. (Or to correct a typo.)

Good luck with your own job search; I hope you get positive news soon!

I hoped to ask a question in roughly the same vein as the OP’s. What basically happened was that I applied for another position that I was turned down for, and later, I was invited to an interview with the director of the department where a new position arose. But, the job had not been posted anywhere yet (including the company website) and had essentially been newly minted. From what the interviewer told me, they still seem to be figuring out exactly where the new hire would fit in.

Now, I am not sure how my interview went, and I guess it wont help to speculate. But the director did say it could take up to four weeks to “move forward” with the job. So this week would be the 4th week, and today, I happened to see the job put up on workopolis but it is still not on their company website. When I saw this, I freaked out and wrote to the HR person to ask what my status is. The HR person replied in a few minutes and said they were still interviewing people and asked me to be patient while they go through their process.

So I want to ask, is it likely I am in the same boat as the OP and that I should kiss the job goodbye ? Also, would the HR person not have told me in the response if I had been put out of the running for the job, or would they do so only at the very end when they have selected someone ?

I had an unusual one today. I went through three rounds of interviews all very positive. I hadn’t heard anything for about two weeks so sent and email to the hiring manager who responded that they were interested in me and down to practical (cost) to please send salary and other expectations related to hiring package . I sent salary history from my previous job and indicated what I hoped for in this position, with a comment that I was willing to negotiate and that I was very interested in the job. I heard nothing for about 10 days; sent another email and was told no word yet. A few days later, I found the job re-posted on a different Web site with a wider reach. I called hiring manager and she said that the search committee felt that they may not have “articulated their vision for the position fully enough to get a good fit.” I mentioned that I had felt in the interviews that I was a good fit for what was articulated and posted. She indicated that was true for me but not for any other finalists and that I might still end up there but they wanted a wider posting. I had interviewed extremely well. I’m a bit puzzled at this stage? What happened and do I kiss this one goodbye?

In answer to your last question – no, do not kiss this job goodbye, but definitely do keep looking.

These days, employers know that many people are unemployed, so it’s a “buyer’s market” for them, and they expect to have several top candidates to choose from. In this case, having only one candidate who was a “good fit” for the job (you) was disappointing.

They (or someone in the search committee) apparently have the impression that they didn’t do a good enough job of describing and promoting the job appropriately. This, unfortunately, happens fairly often. – the length of time it takes to fill a job actually increased with the downturn in the economy. The “buyers” in this “buyer’s market” think there may be a better “deal” out there if they simply look a bit harder. That appears to be what is going on here.

I would stay in touch periodically, reiterating your interest in the job, while investing most of my time and effort in finding a position elsewhere. They are gambling that you will still be available when they are done with this second round of posting, interviewing, etc., and it could take them several weeks to finish.

I interviewed for a position at the end of May. The interview went well, I was introduced to the staff and seemed to have a good connection with the interviewer. I was told they had one more person to see but was assured they would let me know either way in a week whether I would be offered the position.
I never heard back and assumed it may have been a salary concern since I am at the top of my salary grade given my experience. The position was taken down but now I have just seen the position reposted today and was considering emailing the interviewer to let them know I would still be interested in it. Should I do this or should I leave it alone since I wasn’t offered the position first time around.

I don’t think you have anything to lose by checking in with them, and letting them know you are still interested. Employers often assume that anyone who applied in the past is no longer available or interested.

Hi, on 6 of July I went for an interview , after 6 days (12 July) I got an email from the recruitment agency say that they would like to offer me a contract (state salary, day off, benefits ecc.) and 3 days after I got a phone call from them say that they are working on my documentations ,but on 10 July the job was reposted and it is still there, shall I be worried about it, also they told me that for issue the contract will take about 2 or 3 weeks.
please help….

Recently I just found your site and I felt is more helpful for my situation, I’d been to more than 12 interviews for 3 months and none offered me a job. Now I’m down with depression because it’s end of year yet I’d been out of job. I’d tried all way to get job from friends too thinking it’ll be easier and I already used up their resources until now they said no more. I’m at my wit’s end thinking should I quit or continue looking for it and now my mindset is confuse. After all that interview I was wondering what went wrong, all the feedback I got, I’m not short listed, found better candidate, not suitable for the job, and even after second interview I’m still not selected ( when they said HR called means I’m chosen). To be honest now I felt sad and need moral support to get thru these difficult challenges, so what can I do now to help me get a job that I want. Hope you can help me..

Excellent that you’ve had 12 interviews in 3 months! Not getting a job offer is, unfortunately, not that unusual. Without knowing more about what happened – the jobs you interviewed for and how qualified you are for those jobs as well as how you present yourself, follow up after the interviews, and many other things, it’s very difficult for me to give you solid advice.

My recommendation is that you try to find local help with your job search, perhaps a job club or job search support group in your neighborhood. They will help you with your documents, expend your network, and coach you in how to job search most effectively.

Try not to be too discouraged. A job search is a long, tough slog for most of us.

I’m here to share my story and give strength to those who are looking for a job. I’m not from this country and in my country I was well known as the best in my job. Good offers were always on my lap until I laid on a good job that transferred me to this country. Apparently my boss had a crush on me but I ended up marrying another man, then the story began, I had problem with my visa so they returned me to my original country and after a while they laid me off. It’s not a professional reason I must say as the company invested so much money in me, but it is what it is.

I then worked on my green card and moved to be back with my husband. After the kids settled down with school and everything went well, I started the job hunting. I didn’t know anybody in this business who lives in the state I live in so I had 0 on networking. I applied online through company websites, indeed, LinkedIn, taleo, etc. I tried to contact head hunting agents, too.
I later found out many companies post the jobs because they have to from legal side, while in fact they already have their candidates or they want to promote their current employees. What a waste of my time. It doesn’t make me stop. I got many phone interviews, I even was invited to 2 locations for interviewed but I always failed. to get a job.

After many rejections in 10 months I retreated and reflected – what did I do wrong? The interviews seemed to like me, we had good conversation. I also cried and prayed over and over again. Then I looked at my references, I suppose they didn’t do me any help and decided to change them, I contacted my former bosses and coworkers that really appreciate my work, asked them to write me reference letters and using them to apply more jobs. Out of desperate I even went to the mall and knocked door to door asking if they are hiring, submitting my resumes for hourly wages. Still nothing.

I got more rejections and one phone interview, it went well but I didn’t keep my hope high, then second interview, I prepared myself, reading the company websites, their blogs, stalking the interviewers by reading their online profiles which I used on my interview, nailed the second interview.
Was invited to their office and when I saw one of the interviewer name – I thought I heard his name before, I asked my former colleague about him and I was right, he used to work for the same company we did, so I looked up his online profile. When I met him, I recognized him right away as I already saw his picture and offer a hand shake first and calling his name. He was surprised that I know a lot about him without being creepy and soon we had some nostalgic conversation.
They invited me for more interview, a marathon interview with so many people asking questions with hypothetic situation and how I react to it. As the job requires a good team work, I always put the weight on team work and how important it is. How well I know the job, etc.

Long story short, I got the job. After million of rejections, interviews, driving to their offices, but I kept on trying, you never know if you stop trying. It’s fine to be desperate and crying, I did, too. When I felt distressed I would stop looking and applying for few days sometimes up to a week then try again.
During the job hunting time, I spent my time doing community work, anything to keep me busy and distract me from being distressed. It helped and I liked it and still doing it 🙂

So job hunters – don’t lose your hope, keep the positive mind, live at minimum cost, stretch out your money as much as you can and keep looking. Rehearse yourself over and over, reenact the interview and think of what’s the possible questions they might ask. It builds up your confidence, when I talk to myself I can hear the tone of my voice and I will try different tones, different talking speed until I get what fits my personally.

Thank so much for setting up tbis site. I don’t think I’ve encountered a site on careers and unemployement as best as yours. I think because you’ve been through period where you’ve been unemployed (?) or at least the hell that is the interview process you know what it is like. I think some hiring managers forget what the process is like when going for jobs or perhaps haven’t been in the process themselves or being out of work.

Do you have any blogs on here about keeping your spirits up and keeping positive? I find its a lot easier said than done. Especially since the lat few job interviews haven’t turned in to job offers so I keep thinking “What is the point of going for another one, its not going to work out” and “How can I expect them to keep believe in me when I no longer don’t”? I doesn’t help either that I’m watching my bank account like a hawk.

Oh and I hope things worked out for J. The interview process sounded rough.

Effective job search has changed very much the last few years, and it is very hard. Keeping your spirits up is particularly challenging when you are unemployed. Wall-to-wall rejection is hard to take. For everyone.

One of the best things you can do is find a job club to join, preferably one run by a career professional. You’ll see that you’re not the only smart, capable person who is unemployed is encouraging. Members exchange tips, advice, network contacts, and job leads, and find jobs sooner than job seekers who struggle on alone.

So, check with your local public library, your city hall, and the places of worship near you. Often you’ll find information about a local job club, or job search support group, that you can attend. They are usually free or very low cost. If you are in the USA, check the U.S. Department of Labor’s directory of job clubs by state: https://partnerships.workforce3one.org/page/resources/1001107639349545113.

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